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FELT BOOT. No. 338,201. Patented Mar. 16, 1886.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEo EDWARD T. STELLE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELE AND ADELBERT B. CROEOOT, OF SAME PLACE.

FELT BOOT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 338,201, dated March 16, 1886.

Application filed November 30, 1885. Serial No. 184,263. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD T. STELLE, a citizen of the United States, residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Felt Boots, of which the following is a specification.

In the useof felt boots, which are generally `worn with overshoes, a serious evil is caused by the wearing away of the ankle of the boot under the friction created by the overshoe. This wearing away so weakens the boot that it often cracks or breaks at this point, and thus becomes useless. The same evil is also present in knitted and other similar kinds of boots.

To prevent this is my object in this invention, which consists in combining with such boots a protector of leather or rubber, substantially such as hereinafter described, eucircling the ankle and properly secured to the boot, whereby the friction with the overshoe is caused to be borne by the protector,and the boot is wholly saved from being weakened thereby. y

In the drawing which forms a part of this specification is shown an elevation of `a felt or similar boot to which my invention has been applied. In this drawing, A represents the boot, and B the ankle-protector, completely encircling the ankle, as shown. It is made,

preferably, from leather or rubber, though cloth, enameled or otherwise, or any felted, knit, or woven fabric,can be used, as its function is simply that of protection against outside wear. It may be laced in front, as at b, or in the back, or an elastic gore may be used in place of the lacing. It may and preferably should have either a heel-protector, C, or a shank-strap, c, (the rear edge of the latter being indicated by a dotted line,) to prevent its slipping up on the boot-leg; but if the protector is stitched` to the boot, instead of being removable, :no lacing and no other fastening need be used.

The outline of the overshoe worn with the boot is indicated by the broken line D.

I claimh The improved article of manufacture cousisting ofa felt boot, A, provided with loosely-attached protector B, secured by lacing or equivalent fastening, and having a heel orinstep strap, said protector extending above the line of the overshoe, so as to protect the felt boot from breaking or injury at the top of the overshoe, substantially as specified.

EDWARD T. STELLE.

Witnesses:

EDW. S. EvAR'rs, H. M. MUNDAY. 

